A bill sponsored by Representative Scott Chew received overwhelming support in the House last week and is moving on for consideration in the Senate in the Utah Legislature. HB 170 was approved in the House with a 71 to 1 vote. The bill was created as a solution to confusion that has resulted after the state moved to an all electronic system for reminders of upcoming vehicle registration deadlines. Originally, HB 170 would require the Motor Vehicle Division to give vehicle owners the choice to receive a reminder of vehicle registration expiration through the mail or by email. The key difference between this and the old system is that for those who prefer to receive a reminder in the mail, the Motor Vehicle Division could charge a fee to cover the cost of mailing the notification. While money would technically be saved by moving to an electronic system, Chew argued and the last few months seemed to have proved that the state stands to lose significantly more money by people not paying their vehicle registration. The original language in the bill allowed the DMV to charge an additional fee to those who wanted to have a postcard mailed to them but that line was struck during the discussion with lawmakers on the House floor. Now approved by the House, HB 170 heads to the Senate.
